“Our Association is firmly committed to a sustainable path so as to contribute, through cuisine and hospitality, to building a more humane and united world, in harmony with living things. It is an honor for me to welcome these nine new members to Relais & Châteaux, properties that share not only our values, but our passion for goodness and beauty,” said Laurent Gardinier, President of Relais & Châteaux.
For travel and hospitality professionals, the latest intake creates new opportunities in high-end cultural, culinary, nature and wellness travel, often in secondary or emerging destinations that appeal to affluent, experience-driven guests.
In Egypt, Relais & Châteaux Nile Canopus, opening in December 2025, will offer an all-inclusive dahabiya experience on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan. Designed in the style of traditional sailing boats, the 12-cabin vessel combines 1920s-inspired interiors with a fully inclusive program of temple visits and Middle Eastern cuisine by chef Hussein Gaber.
In France, the historic Auberge du Pont de Collonges – Paul Bocuse near Lyon joins as a flagship gastronomic member. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant, still under the stewardship of the Bocuse family, continues the legacy of the late Paul Bocuse, with chefs Gilles Reinhardt and Olivier Couvin and pastry chef Benoît Charvet leading a cuisine rooted in French tradition and supported by a 35,000-bottle wine cellar.
Portugal gains two contrasting properties. Casa de Chá da Boa Nova, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant north of Porto, combines Álvaro Siza Vieira’s iconic oceanfront modernist building with “ethno-emotional cuisine” by chefs Rui Paula and Catarina Correia, inspired by Portuguese heritage and Atlantic produce. Inland, Casa de São Lourenço in Serra da Estrela offers a 20-room mountain retreat with panoramic views, a spa and a farm-to-table restaurant, Fatiga, showcasing dishes inspired by local shepherd traditions.
In Canada, Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ontario, brings a two-Michelin-star, one green star model to the association. Set on a 42-acre agricultural estate near Niagara, chefs Eric Robertson and Daniel Hadida build their tasting menus around produce grown on site, with the philosophy that “flavors develop in the fields, then are interpreted in the kitchen.”
The Torridon in the Scottish Highlands joins as a destination country house hotel on a 58-acre estate by Loch Torridon. The 18-room former Victorian hunting lodge combines outdoor experiences- hiking, kayaking, wild swimming – with fine dining at Restaurant 1887, where chef Danny Young focuses on Scottish produce and kitchen-garden vegetables, and an extensive whisky bar.
In Italy, Borgo Pignano Volterra – Tuscany expands the brand’s footprint in the Tuscan countryside from 2026 with 24 rooms and suites plus eight villas on a 740-acre organic estate between Volterra and San Gimignano, centered on gourmet Tuscan cuisine by chef Stefano Cavallini. On Ischia, San Montano Resort & Spa joins with 62 rooms and suites overlooking the Bay of Naples, geothermal pools, a thermal spa and restaurants focused on local seafood and traditional Ischian and Neapolitan cuisine.
Asia-Pacific is represented by Sequoia Lodge in the Adelaide Hills, Australia, an adults-only 14-suite retreat overlooking the Piccadilly Valley, combining contemporary Australian cuisine, a strong wine program and nature-based activities, and by in Hokkaido, Japan, a six-suite hotel in the former Imperial Russian Consulate, blending heritage architecture with wellness facilities and a dual culinary offer of French-inspired BIACYA and omakase sushi at Sushi Dokoro FUNAMI.
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| Hotel Biaclyn Hakodate |
Looking ahead, Ytri on Træna Island in Northern Norway (opening April 2026) will bring 38 rooms and suites to one of the country’s oldest fishing communities, with design inspired by traditional fishermen’s houses, a strong emphasis on fish-based gastronomy and nature-based activities inside the Arctic Circle.
Along the Adriatic, Hotel Katarina in Orebić, Croatia, becomes an adults-only boutique property with 11 suites, seafront location and regional cuisine paired with wines from sister estate Villa Korta Katarina & Winery. In southern Spain, Casa Góngora near Seville (opening spring 2026) will transform a historic 17th-century bodega into a 13-room hotel with three villas, focusing on Andalusian gastronomy and the estate’s wines.
In South Africa’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Few & Far Luvhondo introduces a six-villa, all-inclusive cliff-top lodge built from locally sourced materials, combining wildlife experiences, conservation activities and farm-to-table dining, including traditional South African braai at the Boma. From late 2025, guests will also have access to a solar-powered aerial safari experience.
With these additions, Relais & Châteaux reinforces its positioning as a collection of independent, experience-driven properties. For tour operators, luxury travel advisors and hospitality partners, the new members add fresh product in high-yield segments such as river cruising, wine and gastronomy, mountain and island retreats, safari, and design-led heritage stays – all under a common framework of local character, culinary focus and sustainability-oriented practices.
Tags:Laurent Gardinier, Relais & Châteaux.
